How I Almost Got Fired

This was around the 4th quarter of 2005 when I was still an agent on one of the top performing BPO companies during that time. I was part of batch 1 for sales on one of the popular internet service providers in the US.

I was one of the top performing agents for sales in the entire Cebu and part of the elite circle by the client across all call centers supporting their company.

My shift way back then was 3am to 12nn. When I came to work, one of the supervisors whom I’m not reporting to approach me letting me know that I can go home and still get paid since they are sending some agents home due to low call volume. I asked her if why I was sent home, and she replied that the client wants all top performing agents not to take calls and give chance to the outliers. I was still innocent by then, I seldom ask questions and always trust what my superior says without getting any second opinion. I also hate that shift so by the time I was informed that I can go home and still get paid, I immediately went home, without asking some of my colleagues who are top performers like me if they were also asked to go home.

The next day, when I was about to login to my station, the same supervisor approached me letting me know that my team manager wants to talk to me in the meeting room. I was not asked anymore to login and tag it as coaching or one-one meeting. At the meeting room, I was kinda nervous since aside from my team manager, our senior team manager was also there.

There was one residential account that I sold for 20 internet starter kit and each of them I included an upsell of 20 call waiting feature in which it triggered the clients tool for closing more than 3 products for 1 residential account. Because of it, the client immediately notified our company and the management team of our account to prevent me from taking calls until the investigation is done. The client also stressed that it might be also a possible fraud and might lead me to be terminated from the company. My team manager was dissapointed and furious on telling me the news and she even quote that if the decision was given to her, she could have fired me immediately. Since I don’t have any history of fraud or any critical issues with the company or account, they could not suspend me. So they just asked me to continue reporting to work but I have to stay at the lobby for the entire 8 hours since I’m not allowed to take calls. My team manager didn’t allowed me to enter the production floor because she feared that I might provide misinformation to the agents. So for three days, I came to work on a 3am shift and stayed at the lobby up to 12nn. Even it upsets me and made me cry everyday when I went home, I didn’t have a choice since I need the job and I was not guilty on what I have done. I even thought that they will be proud since it added the additional percentage needed by our company to continue to be top 1. But on my fourth day, one of the team managers saved me from the hassle of staying in the lobby for 8 hours and let me performed some admin task. I was also happy since when we talked he is confident that I have done nothing wrong and soon all of this would come to pass. He also told me that if worse case scenario that I would get fired, he will help me find a job or anything I need. It gave me hope that there was still some people who believe my capability and my side of the story despite all of the rumors that was spreading on the production floor which lead to some of my friends avoiding me and even my direct supervisor not talking to me.

When the investigation conducted by the client was done on the 8th day, they decided to dismiss the case and I was cleared on taking calls again since there was no recording on the call. The card used by the customer was not reported stolen or used fraudulently. The client also listened to 50% of all my calls whether it was a closed sale or just an inquiry to check if there were any critical issues I performed when taking calls. They couldn’t find any issues and in fact there were some calls that they will be using as one of the sample calls for training purposes.

I was so relieved about the results of the investigation and how the clients like some of my calls and at the same time kinda dissapointed to my peers and to my supervisor because they judged me too easily without giving me any benefit of the doubt. I requested to my senior team manager if I can be transferred to another supervisor. He declined my request which leads me not talking to my peers anymore and to my supervisor. During our coaching sessions, I just answered all her questions and immediately request to be put back on the phone. I was not joining any of the team lunch or team building anymore. By the time were there was an opening for QA, I immediately applied and was lucky to be accepted. On my last day taking calls as an agent, my supervisor approached me saying that she will miss me and she was asking the question on why I was applying for QA in which there will be no incentives, “Dili naka ganahan namo dire or nako as your SUP?” she added. I immediately answered, “ka klaro ana, mangutana pa jud ka, cge SUP God Bless.” That was the last time I talked to my direct supervisor.